United Way raises $40M in annual fundraising drive

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is slowly but steadily regaining the ground it lost in its annual campaign as the region’s economy slowed.

The Detroit-based agency raised just more than $40 million during its 2013-14 annual campaign, up 14 percent from the amount raised a year earlier. The percentage increase was the largest year-over-year for the organization in 17 years, United Way said in a release.

During last year’s campaign, the agency raised $35.1 million and the year before in 2011-12, $32.5 million. That compares to $64.5 million raised during United Way’s annual workplace and individual giving campaign in 2004.

Ford Motor Co. COO Mark Fields served as campaign chair this year, helping United Way meet its fundraising goal. Under his leadership, the automaker, its employees, retirees and affiliated United Auto Workers units contributed a total of $7.4 million to United Way’s annual campaign. Additionally, the number of Ford executives who are members of the United Way Alexis de Tocqueville Society for gifts of $10,000 or more increased by 73 percent, from 15 to 26.

General Motors Co. President Dan Ammann will serve as campaign chair for 2014-15, overseeing efforts to raise additional money to fund services and goals in three areas: education, financial stability and basic needs.

Fields led this year’s effort with a “campaign cabinet” of business and community leaders who provide leadership support of existing Southeast Michigan campaigns and help recruit new corporations for participation. Cabinet members include business and community leaders from across metro Detroit.